The Arkansaw traveler., 1887-07-02
stantly recognized him as Jem Howe.

stantly recognized him as Jem Howe.
 Pondering deeply on this strange occurrence, he returned to the tavern, and ascended the stairs to his little room.
 Late the next day, after dusk, Raw son happened in the vicinity of the Rock, and noticing the disturbed con- dition of the earth, made an investiga- tion. When he came to the place where the gold was put, he stretched his hand in.
 The gold was gone!
 Terribly excited, he rushed down the hill and informed the others of their loss.
 In mining camps, where there is little or no law, crime is punished more severely than in communities where civil courts abound, the miners idea of justice being extremely simple "a man may be killed in dispute, and no interference is made. But if a man steals from another, it is regarded as greater crime than killing with provocation.
 A great hue and cry was raised. Suspicion fastened on the ''feelosifer," he had frequently been seen around Widows Rock.
 Jem Howe told how he "had seen the old man going down that way the evening before with shovel"
 Another had seen the old man in Red Gulch late the previous evening. These facts were considered conclusive evidence of the old mans guilt.
 Some one ran for rope.
 At the sight of it the mob became furious.
 'Let's hang the feelosifer for thiev- in'," was the cry.
 "Come on, fellers; Pll be judge. You mussent go too fast ontil yer sure of the old mans guilt" cried Rawson
 The mob, now grown to a furious crowd, surged along towards the old mans hut up the side of the moun- tain. Jem Howe was among the fore most and was loudest in denouncing the "teelositer."
 Felix Mitchell had just left the old man and was leisurely coming down the trail. He had almost reached the stage road that led to the tavern when the mob came rushing up the trail with yells and shouts. In the twink ling of an eye he was grabbed by doz- ems of strong arms; rope was thrown around his neck, when, above the shouts of the vigilantes, the voice of Rawson was heard.
 "Fair play thar! We've got holt of the wrong man. Can't yer tell the difference Itween him and the old man? Let go of him, 1 say, or I'll let day light through vel" And drawing his huge revolver Rawson forced the miners to release Felix. Torches were soon brought nearer, and when their mistake was discovered Felix was re- leased.
 "Now, Timid Felix. git for the tav- ern and go to bed; this is no place for you" And Rawson turned and ran after the others, who had again re- stunned the pursuit.
 This was the first time Felix had ever seen vigilance committee, and it may be supposed he followed Raw sons advice, but he did nothing of the sort. He pulled from his belt re- volver as big as Rawson had just dis played, carefully looking to see if the chambers were loaded with six forty calibre cartridges. He said: "They call me 'Timid Felix do they? We'll, they shan't touch hair of John Stevens while Pm alive" He ran af- ter the crowd faster than any one hin, Io overlook them. In the center of the crowd, surrounded by torches, the old man stood with barred head By his side was Jem Howard, who was just putting the fatal rope around his neck.
 When Felix learned that the old man was charged with the robbery of the gold his excitement and rage knew no bounds.
 The scene was an extremely wild and picturesque one. In the midst of the crowd the old man, pale but de- mined looking; just in front of him Jack Rawson with his hat of, while Jem Howe stood near with the fatal rope ill his hand, seemingly anxious to do duty as executioner. All around were the rough bare- headed miners, some with torches, while just over head suggestive-looking limb pro- jected from gnarled old oak, looking ghastly in the flickering light. "John Stevens, after Jem Howe's evidence afore you, are you guilty or not guilty?"
 This was more than Felix could en- dure. With bound he sprang into the center of the crowd, overturned couple of men and in a loud, clear voice he cried:
 "Not guilty!"
 The next instant he whipped his 1 knife out and severed the rope. He